36 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

The Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge invites applications for a Dowling Fellowship postdoctoral researcher, co-supervised by Professor Tom Gur and Dr Prakash Murali in the areas of quantum algorithms and complexity, quantum error correction, and quantum architecture. The role is part of a broader effort to advance theoretical and practical aspects of quantum computing.

Lithium ion and sodium ion batteries with solid state electrolytes are prone to degradation by a range of mechanisms including dendrite formation, void formation and swell-induced fatigue and micro-cracking. The topology of the battery plays a role over a number of length scales, from macro scale geometry of battery to the microstructural scale of the cathode. The kinetics of plating and stripping of lithium at free surfaces play a major role, along with the role of topology in terms of both performance and failure mechanisms.

There is a research opening for a Research Associate at the post-doctoral level (or a researcher who is soon to receive their PhD), with proven experimental experience on innovative methods of materials testing and possibly with previous research on batteries or related electrochemical technology. The job is to perform operando visualisations and other related experiments to develop an understanding for the role of mechanics in affecting the electrochemical performance of a lithium ion battery and of a sodium ion battery, with particular emphasis on failure mechanisms. The laboratory has facilities for in-situ electro-mechanical testing of solid state batteries within a dedicated argon chamber, tomography facilities, and a hot press to manufacture solid state electrolytes.

Applications are invited for an enthusiastic and motivated Postdoctoral Research scientist to work on a Medical Research Council (MRC) funded project with Dr Erica Watson and Prof William Colledge.

The Watson lab is a developmental biology group based in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge (https://www.pdn.cam.ac.uk/directory/watson-erica) and is a member of the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research (https://www.trophoblast.cam.ac.uk). The over-arching goal of this lab is to explore the epigenetic mechanisms behind transgenerational inheritance of developmental and metabolic phenotypes in a genetic mouse model of abnormal folate metabolism. Key research avenues aim to uncover important epigenetic changes in the germ cells that result from abnormal folate metabolism and how these changes influence epigenetic stability, gene transcription, and fetoplacental development in the multiple generations that follow. The Watson lab is an inclusive and welcoming group, committed to mentoring and supporting career development of all members.

We are recruiting to two positions to significantly enhance our capabilities in computational biology within Professor Sadaf Farooqi’s team who are internationally recognised as being at the forefront of research in obesity and rare disease with strong collaborative links with academic and industry partners globally.

Successful applicants will contribute to projects involving the analysis of human genetic, transcriptomic and metabolomic/proteomic data. These include the use of statistical approaches to analyse array, exome and genome sequencing data from a cohort of 8,000 children with severe obesity (www.goos.org.uk) and 3,000 people with persistent thinness (www.stilts.org.uk). The postholder will also work with other accessible genomics and transcriptomics datasets including UK Biobank and the Human Cell Atlas.

A position exists for a Research Assistant/Associate in the Department of Engineering to work on a 3-year Translational Award funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The project focuses on developing next generation, off-the-shelf biological grafts to replace synthetic haemodialysis grafts. The project will provide pilot data in a large animal model in a vascular access setting (artery-to-vein). The work will be carried out in collaboration with different departments across University of Cambridge (Surgery, Medicine, Queen’s Veterinary School, Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute), and Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth Hospitals. BHF Translational Awards are milestone-driven grants.

The appointee will fabricate vascular grafts, perform ex vivo testing to de-risk and prime the design of large animal studies. In particular, the appointee will assess graft compliance, thrombogenicity, and have the ability to support dialysis flow rates under physiologic pressure when the graft is anastomosed to native vessels. The appointee will also be involved in evaluating graft durability (wall material) and functionality (patency, neointima formation, re-endothelialisation, cell repopulation, immune and inflammatory response) following large animal studies.

Applications are invited for a Research Associate to join Dr Emily Lines’ UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project “Next generation forest dynamics modelling using remote sensing data” funded by UKRI.

Traditional forest data is severely limited in both its spatiotemporal coverage and what it can measure. This project uses cutting-edge remote sensing data and modern data science techniques to generate new understanding of current and future forest functioning. Active and passive remote sensors, including terrestrial and drone laser scanning (LiDAR), and structure from motion photogrammetry, are able to capture the full three-dimensional structure of a forest to sub-cm scale as three-dimensional point clouds. These data offer new ways to understand forest structure, but their full potential as proxies for dynamics, function and diversity are not yet fully exploited. This project has collected and collated such data from thousands of trees across forest plots in Europe, and is building a massive new dataset of tree and forest structure. Some plots have been measured over multiple years, and more field surveys are planned, to capture three dimensional tree growth and forest structural change. This role will generate new knowledge on the relationships between structure, function and diversity in European forests. The role will build on ongoing work within this project and will address this aim by 1) analysing existing data and 2) collecting and analysing additional high resolution remote sensing data. Such data are extremely complex to analyse, and the post-holder will use specially developed and tailored deep learning techniques to extract ecological information from noisy point clouds, and may need to develop further tools. The project will analyse these data to determine how trees and forests are structured across Europe, and how their three-dimensional structure affects and is affected by their productivity, carbon storage, and the diversity of both the trees and other species living in forests. New insights into how forest function and diversity is related to three-dimensional structure will bring help develop approaches to co-monitoring biodiversity, biomass and ecosystem function, crucial for understanding the value of forests for tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss.

We are looking for a talented and motivated post-doctoral scientist to join the laboratory of Dr. Richard Timms based in the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID).

The Timms lab applies the latest genetic technologies to identify novel functions for human genes. Our work is focused on the ubiquitin-proteasome system, where we seek to (1) identify substrates for E3 ubiquitin ligases, (2) characterise the molecular features that enable selective substrate recognition, and (3) explore how these processes are corrupted in the context of viral infection and autoimmune disease.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in malaria parasite biology, funded by a Wellcome Trust grant in the laboratory of Professor Catherine Merrick. The appointee will join an ongoing project investigating parasite epigenetics, staffed by 3 PDRAs and a technician. Specifically, it will involve characterising a panel of P. falciparum conditional knockdown mutants using cutting-edge techniques in molecular genetics, biochemistry and cell biology. Two years of productive research has already been conducted by the out-going role holder: publication(s) are confidently expected within the final year.

The Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join the MASAUTO (Materials for Smarter Autonomous Sensors) project. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a cutting-edge European research initiative aimed at addressing the pressing challenge of achieving a sustainable Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem through advanced materials fabrication, simulation, and characterisation.

About MASAUTO: MASAUTO is a prestigious research program providing training for PhD candidates in advanced materials science. The selected candidate will benefit from multidisciplinary scientific training spanning basic science to industrial applications, gaining expertise in:

• Advanced materials fabrication techniques
• State-of-the-art characterisation methods
• Computational modelling and simulations
• Applications in materials and electronics industries

A post-doctoral position funded by the BBSRC is available in the Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology working within the laboratory of Dr Paolo D’Avino, to undertake a research project investigating the regulation and function of the midbody by phosphorylation (see D’Avino and Capalbo, 2016, Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 53:57-63; Capalbo et al., 2019, Nature Communications, 10:4513; and Halcrow et al., 2022, Cells, 11:3337).

Candidates should have a PhD and a track record of success in molecular and cellular biology research. Significant experience in human cell culture, molecular biology, and microscopy is required. Experience in CRISPR gene editing and/or proteomics would be an advantage.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong academic background in dendrochronology and/or paleoclimatology to work with us in the ERC Synergy-Plague project “Reconstructing the environmental, biological, and societal drivers of plague outbreaks in Eurasia between 1300 and 1900 CE ¿ Synergy-Plague”.

Supervised by Professor Ulf Büntgen and performed in our well-established Tree-Ring Unit (TRU) at the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, the successful candidate will contribute to the development and analysis of two multi-millennial long tree-ring chronologies from the Taurus mountains in southern Turkey and the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan. We expect the appointee to also contribute to the TRU’s innovative research agenda, including various aspects of global change ecology and quantitative wood anatomy.

An exciting opportunity is available for up to two Post Doctoral Research Associates in Pure Mathematics, working in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics.

Duties include developing and conducting an individual program of research. The successful candidates will usually be associated with one of the departmental research groups and have a Faculty mentor. There may be opportunities for lecturing at Masters level, assisting with student research projects or delivering small-group teaching.

You will be expected to plan and manage your own research and administration, with guidance if required, and to assist in the preparation of proposals and applications to external bodies. You must be able to communicate material of a technical nature and be able to build internal and external contacts.

We are seeking to appoint researchers, who will be affiliated with the Bennett Institute for Public Policy and will be based in the Research Strategy Office. You will join a highly collaborative team. We want to expand our team of Research Associates and Research Assistants who have a mix of relevant research experience and come from a range of different disciplines. As part of this role, you will contribute to the implementation and evolution of the studies (the overall project structure is fixed); and develop plans for follow-on studies. There will be opportunities to collaborate nationally and internationally and present to policy makers and internationally.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, dynamic and ambitious postdoctoral Research Associate to join the group of Dr Thomas Mitchell.

Dr Mitchell’s group will be based in the Department of Surgery and the Early Cancer Institute. The group’s research focus will be understanding the processes that drive the growth of kidney cancers, so that we can better predict and understand their future behaviour.

The role holder will lead their own project and be responsible for its execution in consultation with Dr Mitchell.

The project will require the planning and application of sequencing technologies to novel clinical cohorts, alongside analysis and integration of different ‘omic technologies, including:

• Whole genome DNA and methylation sequencing
• RNA sequencing at bulk and single cell level
• Spatial sequencing technologies including Xenium Prime 5K
• Radiomic data pertaining to tumour properties including growth rates

 

(18) Postdoctoral Fellowship Position

Postdoc Fellowship Position summary/title: Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Deadline : 12 March 2025

View details & Apply

 

A position is available for a Research Assistant/Associate in Computational Mechanics in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. The research focuses on developing computational methods for imperfect/uncertain geometries, which present a significant challenge in digital design and analysis. These imperfections arise from manufacturing variations, operational wear, or corrosion and can critically degrade the performance and reliability of engineered products and systems.

The Research Assistant/Associate will join a research team developing innovative computational and mathematical techniques for handling random geometric imperfections. The work will leverage immersed boundary methods for simulation and probabilistic subdivision surfaces for geometry representation. The successful candidate will be integral to advancing these techniques and developing the corresponding software in collaboration with the Cambridge team, led by Professor Fehmi Cirak and project partners at Duke University, USA.

A position exists, for a Research Assistant/Associate in the Department of Engineering, to work on the project of scalable tactile sensing based on Electrical Impedance Tomography for robot dexterity.

The post holder will be located in Central Cambridge Cambridgeshire, UK.

The skills, qualifications and experience required to perform the role are a first degree in a relevant discipline and a PhD degree (or about to be awarded a PhD degree) in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, material science, or a related area; Expertise is sought in one or more of the following areas: biologically inspired robotics, soft robotics, modelling and development of sensing systems, soft matter modelling and analysis. Experience of rapid prototyping is also required.

The aim of the role is to realise functional quantum memories using the electronic and nuclear spins of tin-vacancy (SnV) colour centres in nanofabricated diamond chips, using quantum optical control from single confined spins using both optical and microwave fields. The research topics will include the realisation of efficient photon emission, high-fidelity coherent spin control using optical and microwave control, demonstration of spin-photon quantum entanglement, and quantum information transfer and storage in nuclear spin registers.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in Physics, ideally in Applied Physics or Engineering, with a proven track record in quantum optics, quantum control and preferably in solid-state spin-photon interfaces. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in coherent spin control and single-photon interference as demonstrated by publications in major journals. A solid understanding of software-hardware interface experience is desirable.

We are seeking to recruit a postdoctoral research associate to work on a new project in the laboratory of Claudia Bonfio in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, UK.

The project will push the bounds of early Earth lipid chemistry, exploring pathways by which the vast array of diverse lipids now associated with biological membranes came into being.

Research in the Bonfio lab focuses on the chemical origins and properties of early lipid membranes and compartments (www.bonfiolab.eu).

The key responsibilities of the post will be conducting an independent research project, assisting with projects ongoing in the lab, and contributing to lab organisation and general lab duties.

The Faculty of Divinity of the University of Cambridge wishes to appoint a Research Associate at 0.5 FTE rom 1 April 2025 (or as soon as possible thereafter), to work on this collaborative, cross-institutional project entitled “God, Language and Diversity: Spiritual Flourishing in Neurodiverse and Multilingual Communities.” The position is fixed term and the funds for this post are available until 31 August 2026 in the first instance.

Candidates, whose research specialism may be in the field of rabbinic texts and theology, should have a relevant PhD in the field, and will be expected to undertake research on the linguistic, conceptual, and theological dynamics of classical rabbinic midrash.

The Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge welcomes applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, a three-year postdoctoral fellowship in twentieth-century American history. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate who has or is close to obtaining a PhD in a relevant specialist subject area.

Candidates for this post will be expected to demonstrate that they have undertaken research that is original and innovative and that will, when published, make a substantial contribution to American history. They will also be expected to demonstrate an interest in contributing to the promotion of American history at Cambridge. The post is open to applicants working on twentieth-century U.S. history.

Applications are invited for a Research Associate (Postdoc) to join the Prorok Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Technology, at the University of Cambridge, UK.

The Postdoc will work together with a team of students and research collaborators on the development of learning-based discovery of robot task/environment designs that are conducive to successful completion of the problem at hand. Particular focus will be on multi-robot and multi-agent problems (e.g., navigation, cooperative transport, team-based agent games). The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills and substantial experience in machine learning at scale.

The Prorok Lab in the Dept. of Computer Science & Technology, has a variety of robotic platforms (aerial and ground), and boasts expertise in controlling and deploying them in practice, as well as in designing coordination strategies for them. Our recent work on ML-based co-optimization demonstrates some of our key research directions relevant for this position.

We seek to appoint two highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to join a multi-disciplinary research team who study the healthcare profiles of autistic people. The appointees will work with large scale population data from healthcare registers such as the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), and equivalent registers in other countries.

Each researcher will focus on the links between autism and physical health outcomes, focusing particularly on conditions that significantly impact on quality and length of life. The focus will be on identifying risk and protective factors in specific subgroups of autistic people, as well as factors that could improve the health of autistic people. The researchers may also conduct research on the health outcomes of parents and siblings of autistic people.

The Optoelectronics Group of the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, invites applications for a Research Associate to work on an ERC Advanced Grant led by Professor Henning Sirringhaus. The project is focused on studying the thermoelectric physics of organic semiconductors and related functional materials. The project is aiming to achieve a fundamental understanding of how the thermoelectric properties of organic semiconductors can be enhanced. The role holder is expected to lead the thermoelectric materials and device investigations.

The successful candidate will have completed a PhD degree in a relevant field such as Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science or Electrical Engineering. You will have a strong background in semiconductor physics and experience in the transport and device physics of thermoelectric materials, such as organic semiconductors.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Post-doctoral Researcher to join the Nixon-Abell Laboratory at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Our work sits at the interface between cell biology and molecular neuroscience. We employ integrated experimental approaches, combining cutting-edge microscopy, biochemistry, omics, and iPSC-derived cell models to understand organelle interactions and dynamics in neurons.

This Wellcome Trust funded project aims to draw fundamental links between organellar communication pathways and neuronal function. Specifically, the post-holder will focus on understanding how sites of direct physical interaction between organelles (membrane contact sites) coordinate the intracellular distribution of lipids in neurons. The candidate will form part of a vibrant and interdisciplinary team focussed on producing rigorous, innovative and impactful research. This role will also offer various career development opportunities to support the candidate’s professional progression.

A position exists, for a Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering, to work on automation needs of small and medium-scale logistics enterprises. This particular role involves (a) scaling up the existing pilot deployments to starter solutions, and (b) developing pilot solutions for our industrial partner SF Express.

A position exists for a Postdoctoral Researcher to work on a project in the lab of Máté Lengyel at the Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge (https://cbl.eng.cam.ac.uk).

The post holder will be located in Central Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.

The project involves the modelling and analyses of neural circuit dynamics, in particular of the stabilised supralinear network, in the context of hippocampal memory recall. The project is based on the following key publications:

• Lengyel M, Kwag J, Paulsen O, Dayan P (2005) Matching storage and recall: hippocampal spike timing-dependent plasticity and phase response curves. Nat Neurosci 8:1677-1683.
• Hennequin G, Ahmadian Y, Rubin DB, Lengyel M, Miller KD (2018) The dynamical regime of sensory cortex: stable dynamics around a single stimulus-tuned attractor account for patterns of noise variability. Neuron 98:846-860.

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant/ Research Associate (PostDoc) to join the Compiler Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge, UK.

You will work with a team of students and research collaborators on developing synthesis and formal verification for MLIR. In particular, our objective is to build technology that automates compiler design and brings formally verified compilation into the day-to-day use of the LLVM/MLIR compiler ecosystem.

A Research Assistant/Associate position exists in the Additive Microstructure Engineering (AddME) Laboratory at the Department of Engineering. The role is to set up computational models to predict the microstructure of metal alloys produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The post holder will be located in Central Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.

The key responsibilities and duties include setting up the models using input from experiments and using the knowledge gained to devise novel microstructure designs for optimised part performance. The role holder is expected to support and maintain the University’s national and international reputation for excellence in research and teaching by producing high quality results which will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminate at national and international conferences. They will also assist with writing reports for funding bodies and with grant administration. The role holder is expected to work and interact with other members of the AddME Lab as well as our industrial partners. They will contribute to seminars and take part in the research group’s broader research activities.

A Research Assistant/Associate position exists in the Additive Microstructure Engineering (AddME) Laboratory at the Department of Engineering. The role is to devise novel processing strategies to control the microstructure of different metal alloys using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology. The post holder will be located in Central Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK. The key responsibilities and duties include producing builds of aluminium and steel alloys using LPBF technology; characterise the build microstructure and mechanical behaviour; and use the knowledge gained to devise novel microstructure designs for optimised part performance.

The role holder is expected to support and maintain the University’s national and international reputation for excellence in research and teaching by producing high quality results which will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminate at national and international conferences. They will also assist with writing reports for funding bodies and with grant administration. The role holder is expected to work and interact with other members of the AddME Lab as well as our industrial partners. They will contribute to seminars and take part in the research group’s broader research activities. The skills, qualifications and experience required to perform the role include experience in metal processing (particularly LPBF), microstructure analysis, and mechanical testing. The applicant will have obtained or be close to obtaining a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science.

We are seeking a postdoctoral Research Associate with a strong interest in the role of telomere biology in the development of clonal haematopoiesis.

You will complete an ongoing project studying the impact of splicing factor mutations on telomere maintenance and cellular metabolism. Experience in studying splicing factor mutations in the context of clonal haematopoiesis and haematological malignancies is required, as is experience of proteomic, transcriptomic, genomic and functional studies.

A position exists, for a Research Associate/Senior Research Associate in the Department of Engineering, to work on Gallium Nitride quantum photonic devices.

The post holder will be located in West Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.

The Research Associate/Senior Research Associate will join the Integrated Quantum Photonics group, based in the Nanoscience Centre at the University of Cambridge, a research group that works on simulation, nanofabrication and optical characterisation of nano- and quantum photonic devices, integrating quantum light emitters. They will work on a research project focused on the investigation of the emission properties of quantum dots and defect centres in Gallium Nitride, in particular when coupled to plasmonic devices, like metallic nano-rings [see Applied Physics Letters 111, 021109 (2017), Applied Physics Letters 112, 221102 (2018), Applied Physics Letters 120, 081103 (2022), Advanced Quantum Technologies 2300149 (2023)]. The goal of the project is to realise a monolithic, scalable source of quantum light for quantum communication and imaging.

A position exists for a Research Assistant/Research Associate in Experimental High Energy Physics in the High Energy Physics (HEP) Group at the Cavendish Laboratory. The post holder will make leading contributions on two fronts within the ATLAS experiment: the commissioning and operating of the upgraded L1 Calorimeter (L1Calo) Trigger and the searches for massive long-lived particles. It is intended that (subject to LTA funding being awarded by the ATLAS collaboration to the successful applicant after appointment).It is foreseen for the role-holder to be based in Cambridge for the duration of the tenure, with occasional trips to CERN if required.

The successful candidate will hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Experimental Particle Physics or a related discipline. Experience with programming in C++ and Python is essential along with an interest and desire to work with hardware description languages like VHDL. A willingness to work with fast custom digital electronics systems such as those connected to L1Calo, and a willingness to learn about development and debugging of firmware needed to support L1Calo systems are also essential. The candidate should possess strong organisational, communication and teamworking skills along with the ability to write reports, present results and contribute to academic papers.